I tend to be a generalist when it comes to magic, which is to say I don’t specialize in a particular area or discipline of magic. I prefer to learn as much as possible about a wide variety of topics (most of them not even overtly magical). I admire people who can focus on tarot or a particular type of ceremonial magic to the exclusion of much else, but I don’t find that ever works for me.

I actually recall once being called on that by another magician. This person asked me what the benefit was of taking such a general approach, as opposed to specializing in something. My argument was that I was finding the connections between all those general areas and tying them together. I still feel I achieve a decent depth as it were in my studies, because inevitably what I’m studying in one area, intersects with another area of interest.

In fact, the method to my madness is a very methodical approach to magic and other areas of interest, where I find and start exploring as much as I can about diverse areas of interest…and yet still stay focused on those areas. I’m not bouncing around all over the place with what I’m reading or doing…I like to stay relatively on topic, really get into the heart of the territory I’m exploring. And that’s where a method comes into play, because even if you’re a generalist such as myself, you still want to devote enough time and energy toward learning about an interest in-depth, especially if you plan on applying it to your life on any practical level.

I know as a generalist, I can’t learn everything there is to know (supposedly the last time that could be done was with Aristotle, but I don’t buy that he knew everything there was to know in his time period), but I can still learn a lot, about a variety of interests and get something meaningful out of it, as well as offer something meaningful to others.

I admire the people I know who can really focus in on a given topic. I’m awed by what they do and where it takes them. Being a specialist definitely has it’s perks.

And yet, it’s a generalist’s path for me! And heck, I’ve found a few others as well, so I’m in good company.